In the very beginning of the 1900’s there was many opinions from the supporters end and the opponents end on assimilation during this time period. Assimilation is where people of different backgrounds come to see themselves as part of a larger national family. One of the strong critics against this specific idea was named Alfred Schultz. His view on assimilation was that it was “absurd” and basically dismissed the whole theory on the “Melting Pot” which is a simile term for assimilation. Schultz did not believe or support the melting pot, he believed that the addition of millions of other races has caused a decomposition of the nation, which means to him that the nation is falling apart when it doesn’t consist of one set race. In the brief view of his book “The Mongrelization of America” he stated that, “A degenerated race is one that has no longer the same internal worth which it had of old, for the reason that incessant infusions of foreign blood have diluted and weakened the old blood.”
This statement represents that a nation is deteriorated when it consists of people who are not all closely related to or completely related to the founders of the nation. Which is the opposite view of the supporters of the melting pot. Schultz believes that assimilation is an impossible goal for America because, “No man can ever become anything else than he is already potentially and essentially.” Which is his statement in his book. This goes to show that his view on assimilation and the melting pot is that you cannot just thrown in people of all different races, cultures, and backgrounds and expect them to come out the same after living, being educated, and growing in a different country other than their own.
